


Eternity

by lunarsinger



Category: THE iDOLM@STER, THE iDOLM@STER: SideM
Genre: Because it's 4th anniversary allegedly, Four Year Time Skip, M/M, SideM Secret Santa 2018, Tomorrow Diamond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-29 17:25:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17207726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarsinger/pseuds/lunarsinger
Summary: Kyoji has something— someone— he wants to keep.





	Eternity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [franchouchou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/franchouchou/gifts).



> SideM Secret Santa giftfic for miya (@himmymiya)! I'm so sorry for the lateness, but I hope you'll enjoy it!
> 
> Also I swear I had this idea long before that One Mstage Event my brain got hacked

If Kyoji could talk to his past self, he wondered what he would say. He wondered if he would believe how much his life has changed since deciding to leave his household, holding nothing but pain and anger in his heart. When he packed his things and set off on his own, who would've known he'd step into his very own fairy tale?

It's already been four years since Beit set off down the road to stardom together. The starting line was so far away by now, yet ever present in their memories. And since that point, so much in their lives has changed.

The most dramatic change was probably Pierre, who suddenly shot up in height about a year ago. Now instead of being the shortest, he was officially the tallest member of Beit, just an extra inch over Kyoji. Neither of them could get used to the change in eye-level even now, especially when the boy was as energetic and earnest as ever. But he was also a lot more mischievous than before, something he probably picked up from the other idols around his age. Still Kyoji would say Pierre exuded an even greater princely aura with the new look, fitting of someone actually from royal lineage. Fans were pretty crazy over that, though some lamented the drastic shift in his image (as did Minori on occasion, but that was more motivated by parental feelings).

Kyoji wasn't much different these days, at least he didn't think so. Minori claimed that his so-called 'idol aura' only got stronger with time, but he still didn't know what that meant. Smiling was a little easier, but he still struggled to compete with the brightness of his teammates. He thought he was pretty much the same as always, with one exception.

Kyoji's relationship with his family was still on rocky ground, but not as much as before. As Beit reached even greater heights of fame, eventually surmounting in winning an idol competition sponsored by the Takajo family, his father had no choice but to acknowledge his success. It was a personal victory for sure, one that he owed to both Pierre and Minori's constant support the entire way. Him and his father still weren't communicating, but now there was at least some measure of relief to the troubles of his childhood. It wasn't perfect by any means, but it was a start. And just having the courage to start was all it took to change; he learned that from Pierre and Minori long ago.

Minori was even older now, but still "eternally seventeen" and as enthusiastic as ever. The years never slowed his passion down, but it seemed like he worried about his skin care more often these days. Kyoji didn't understand why. In his opinion, Minori only became more beautiful with age. Whenever he admitted that, Minori just said he was blinded by love. He didn't think so, but it was true that his affection for the man only grew deeper with time. They had their arguments and misunderstandings like any couple, getting especially rough when their age gap became more apparent, but they always found a way to come back to each other.

In the past, Kyoji wanted nothing more than to be on equal footing with Minori. Rather than be led by the hand all the time, he wanted to stand side-by-side with him. At first he thought it was just that, and just that much would be enough to satisfy him. Eventually though, he came to realize that his desires ran much deeper. More than just his respect, he wanted his love. When he confessed his feelings, all but ripping out his own heart and practically tripping over his feet in the process, he thought for sure he would be rejected by him. He probably felt no greater joy than when Minori gave him his answer.

 _"I love you too, Kyoji."_ Simple words that still gave him shivers today.

These days, he no longer lived by himself. He and Minori finally found their own apartment to share, and now every day was amazing. Waking up to Minori's morning kisses, getting to eat his cooking, cuddling with him through lazy afternoons when they were both too tired to go out after work. The fragrance of freshly cut flowers would waft through the air as Kyoji held him close, enveloped in the gentle warmth that was Minori Watanabe.

He loved him more with every year that passed by. Which is why lately, Kyoji started thinking of taking their relationship one step farther. People in the office already knew that they were a couple, so he consulted people like the producer, as well as those his own age like Hokuto and Ryu. They all supported his idea to seal his bond to eternity, and suddenly the notion didn't seem so far-fetched.

However purchasing a pair of rings wasn't exactly the easiest feat, considering his status as an idol. If any gossip reporter caught wind of that, he'd be done for. Still, it was something he wanted to do for himself. Maybe it was his pride as a man? Or something silly like that. With the Takajo name, he could easily get it done without much fuss. But despite smoothing over relations in recent days, he still didn't want to rely on his family's power— not for something so personal and so intimate like this. With some help from President Saito, the producer, and Ken, he was able to find the time while making himself and his big purchase discreet.

Now it was only a few days before Christmas, and it would only get busier for them from here on out. But they had tonight off, so Kyoji and Minori decided to go out for dinner and take in the city all decorated with lights. They invited Pierre to join them, but he insisted it be just the two of them. He did know of Kyoji's intentions; it felt like everyone except Minori knew by now. The only thing left was to gather enough courage to pop the question. Perhaps that was the hardest step of all...

Dinner was nice, Kyoji thought. Because of their loaded work schedules, they hadn't had a proper date night in a long time. It was fun to just relax with the person he loved, although he didn't have much planned for the evening. Minori mentioned an illumination show that they were holding at a public park which sounded interesting. They were heading there from the restaurant, when Minori paused to look at his phone.

"Ah, it's a text from Pierre." He must've sent it to their group chat, because Kyoji felt his phone buzz from his pants pocket at that same moment. Curious of the message, Kyoji peeked over Minori's shoulder to read from his screen.

_"Minori! Kyoji! Having fun?_  
_Me too, having lots of fun with everyone!_  
_Don't stay out too late though, even if you have too much fun together._  
_Ribbit ribbit!"_

His cheeks grew warm with embarrassment. Minori just stifled an amused laugh, already tapping away his reply. 

"Geez... Isn't he getting too cheeky lately?" Kyoji couldn't disagree there. Pierre learned how to tease them pretty well and he never expected it. In his mind, he still saw the much shorter, much more innocent frog prince from when they first met. People told him he just sounded like a sad parent whenever he admitted that though.

He watched his boyfriend as he sent back his reply. His long bangs covered and draped over his face as he stared down at his screen. Kyoji thought Minori's hair was always soft and silky to the touch. He loved running his hands through the strands whenever he held him, kissed him. As Minori finalized his message, Kyoji felt compelled to reach over and quietly brush his bangs aside, catching his attention.

"...What is it, Kyoji?" Minori smiled like he already knew what was on his mind, turning to him once he finished replying to Pierre. "Want to kiss?"

"I do..." Kyoji admitted with ease, but averted his gaze. The sounds of people milling around them poured into his ears. "But not here."

Minori's smile only deepened, and Kyoji swore his cheeks got a little flushed too. For a man halfway into his thirties, he was still too cute and fluffy.

"You know, Kyoji... Your idol aura is really strong today."

That again? He let out a small laugh, mostly because he still didn't get it. "We're not even working right now."

"I'm just saying, my heart skipped a beat there!"

"Is that what it meant this whole time...?"

 

Shuffling through the crowd of other couples looking to enjoy the decorations together, he made his way with Minori to the spot where the city planned to have a winter light show. His hands shoved into his jacket's pockets, Kyoji fiddled anxiously with the small box in his possession. He could propose at any time; the only issue was his lack of confidence. The worst case was that Minori would say 'no' or decline because of their careers. Rejection wouldn't break off their relationship, but it would make it extremely awkward for the future. He wondered if he could live with the embarrassment if that happened to be the case.

"Kyoji, is something wrong?" Minori's gentle voice broke his train of thought. Dimly, he realized his spacing out drew the concerned gaze of his lover, though the former florist was always so attentive to whatever troubled his heart. Kyoji reached up and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh... No, not really. Just hoping we won't get noticed, I guess."

"It'll be okay. There's a lot of people and we're all the way in the back."

"We could get closer, if you want." Maybe his inner turmoil kept Minori from getting a better view, and that sort of made him feel guilty. With their scheduling packed from Christmas into the coming new year, there wouldn't be many more chances for them to just enjoy the night together with all the decorations and events. That also meant if he wanted to ask him, he had to decide sooner than later.

Minori hummed thoughtfully, considering the possibility for a moment, before slipping his fingers around Kyoji's.

"Minori-san—"

"If we were any closer, I couldn't do this without being seen," Minori murmured, squeezing their hands together. The idea that he should pull away in order to draw less attention tempted him briefly, but the sheer warmth radiating from Minori's touch erased the worry from his mind. He didn't want to move away at all, if possible. Kyoji leaned against his boyfriend's side as much as he could without being too obvious, lightly brushing his lips against the top of his head. His hair smelled like flowers, though he wouldn't be able to say which kind (after all this time, he still didn't know his flowers). Maybe it was the shampoo Minori bought the other day, mixing in with the cold winter air. Kyoji decided today that it was his favorite fragrance.

It didn't have to be right now; he knew that. But the longer he waited, the more excuses he made to himself. What was almost as scary as Minori's answer was the possibility that he could psych himself out of it entirely. He wanted to be certain, but he also couldn't remain indecisive forever. Not if he was serious about the man by his side.

"Oh, the show's about to start."

They really didn't have a good view from back here, but Minori still seemed happy with what he could see. He continued to hang onto his hand, every now and then giving it a small squeeze or massaging his knuckle with his thumb. It was distracting, and eventually Kyoji found his attention straying to the face of the person he cherished with all his heart. Amidst the sound of excited couples, he watched Minori's face light up with the winter spectacle. Even at thirty-five, he still enjoyed every aspect of his life to the fullest. Maybe that's what he meant by 'eternally seventeen'.

Because they were so close in height, he didn't have to move his head much to catch Minori's lips with his own. As the crowd erupted in 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' at the fantastic lights, he sealed their mouths with a kiss. Minori didn't move away, but he guessed he probably caught him off-guard. When he pulled back, he could see the colors of the illumination reflected in his lover's eyes, twinkling one by one like festive stars. Gazing up at him, Minori looked somewhat dazed and confused from the sudden romantic gesture.

"...That's risky, you know?" he finally said after regaining his composure.

"There's a lot of people... and we're all the way in the back," Kyoji echoed back Minori's own words, watching his face turn pink in response.

"You've gotten pretty cheeky yourself..." he muttered under his breath. However despite his brief protest, he tilted his chin up as Kyoji came closer again. They snuck in one more kiss before the festivities around them died down. Kyoji really wanted to keep kissing him though, regardless of it all, Minori's soft lips an addiction he wouldn't quit anytime soon if ever. But as people's attention began to scatter with the lights, they were forced to move elsewhere lest they be spotted.

"This way," Kyoji said, quietly guiding Minori by the hand away from the crowd. He wondered if it was his imagination, but he thought his boyfriend's face looked even redder when he checked over his shoulder.

"I told you, you're way too strong..." were the mumbled words he didn't hear.

 

For some time after that, they just wandered the streets together. Occasionally, Minori stopped to look inside a store, asking for opinions on clothes or ideas for Pierre's Christmas gift. Kyoji continued to fiddle with the box in his pocket all the while, trying not to let his nerves get the best of him. Minori would ask him if he was really feeling okay.

Eventually, they came to rest at an empty park. Normally he'd see this place bustling with kids and their parents but it was already too late into the night. He couldn't hear anyone else for miles, a stark contrast to the bustling streets from earlier. With two bottles of tea from the nearby vending machine, Kyoji came back to where Minori was relaxing on the bench.

"Here." He handed him his drink, which Minori accepted graciously.

"Thank you." Before twisting open the cap, he patted the spot next to him for Kyoji to sit. Kyoji obliged without question, more at ease now that they had more privacy. They snuggled close within the silence of the park. Though he loved the moments where they just chatted away about anything, he also loved the moments where they didn't need words to enjoy each other's company. With Minori, he was always so comfortable and calm, no matter the situation. Having grown up in such a cold household, he never realized a warm bond like what they had now was possible. To keep that for eternity didn't sound so bad.

He wasn't completely naive. It wasn't going to be easy all the time and the actual process would be extremely difficult considering they were both men and also idols. There were many hurdles to overcome down this path. They've conquered hundreds just to get to this point.

"Ah— Look, Kyoji," Minori softly announced, turning his gaze to the night sky. Kyoji followed suit, lifting his eyes to see gently falling snow brush against his cheeks.

He didn't know why he was hesitating anymore. He knew what he wanted— his heart knew too. He just had to take the first step. Pressing a kiss to his lover's forehead, tenderly calling for his attention, Kyoji stood up from the bench and offered his arm to him.

"Minori-san, come with me for a bit?" The other man stared up at him, questions surely running through his head. Regardless, he got up to join his side, letting Kyoji slide his arm around his shoulders to pull him close.

"Don't move too far away, okay? It's getting colder at night."

Kyoji chuckled, squeezing Minori's shoulder as he started to lead him around the park. To him, it might've seemed like he was just walking to stretch their legs out after all that sitting, but he was actually looking for a good spot...

"You sound like an old man. Just how much have you been talking to Yamashita-san lately?"

"You _are_ cheeky!" Minori retorted, but he was laughing. "Apologize to Jiro— though he still says that himself. But I'm still eternally seventeen, you know?"

"Yeah, I know."

Whether it was four years, five, ten, or longer still, Kyoji believed that he would always love Minori. He waffled on a great many things in his life so far, but that was something he was absolutely certain of.

They stopped at a small hill with a view overlooking the city. It was still sparkling even this late at night, glittering with the colors of winter while snow drifted down over their heads. He heard Minori voice his amazement by his side. It was now or never, wasn't it? He would never find a better time to ask for the rest of time. He dropped another kiss to Minori's hair before he spoke, pulling away from his side to discreetly retrieve the box from his pocket.

"Minori-san, I love you." Still gazing out at the city lights, Minori's lips curved into a smile before he turned to give his reply. But instead of being at eye-level with his lover like he expected, he found him down on one knee. In his hands, Kyoji held a small box with one heart-catching, promise-filled ring.

"Will you marry me?"

 

The next few minutes were a blur. Minori was so overwhelmed, speechless, that he covered his entire face with both hands. Kyoji, fearing that he just ruined everything, asked immediately if he was all right. But before he could get up off the frozen ground, Minori lowered his arms. Now he could see Minori's watery eyes, tears flowing freely and rolling off freshly red cheeks. He assumed he made him upset, or he would've— except that Minori just couldn't seem to stop smiling. He was grinning from ear-to-ear. Suddenly all of Kyoji's worries threatened to fly away along with his heart.

"Minori-san, are you okay...?"

"I'm not okay..." Minori laughed, wiping at his eyes with his sleeve. He tried to compose himself with a few deep breaths. Leaning forward, he motioned for Kyoji to get up. As they stood eye-to-eye, Minori cradled and squeezed Kyoji's hands in his own, around the ring shining just like his tears.

"I love you too, Kyoji. I want to be with you, always." With a shaky breath, he leaned his forehead against Kyoji's. The touch was so warm, so affectionate. "So my answer is 'yes'— of course it's 'yes'!"

All the anxious thoughts Kyoji had running around his head just screeched to a halt and faded away. He didn't know what to do, what to even say; he was getting completely overwhelmed himself. So he just yanked the other man into his arms and held him tight. The sound of Minori's laughter and sniffles filled his ear as he hugged him back. The city continued to sparkle in the distance and snow continued to fall, but that didn't matter. Nothing but this moment mattered now, because he said 'yes'. _He said 'yes'._

"I can't believe you, Kyoji. How do you always manage to surprise me? But I guess I'll be in your care," Minori murmured, burying his face into Kyoji's neck. "So, please... don't let me go."

Kyoji only pulled him closer.

"I will never let you go... I promise."

For an eternity and beyond, he would love and cherish the man in his arms. Their bond would last forever. Of that, Kyoji was absolutely certain.


End file.
